Antifreezing support for ice trays



Oct. 31, 1939. o. BECKER ANTIFREEZING SUPFQRT FORA ICE TRAYS Filed sept. 8, 1938 @o O@ ooge@ INVENTOR` V MA1/M my s' WITNESSES m E N, R. Oy T T A.

vPatented Oct. 31, 1939 PATENT OFFICE 2,178,387 ANTIFREEZING SUPPORT Fon ICE 'raars otto' Becker, unimil city, N. J. Application September 8, 1938, Serial No. 228,960

l 4 Claims.

This invention relates to refrigerator constructions and particularly to an improved antifreezing support for ice trays of refrigerators, an object being to provide a simple construction where- 5 in the trays may be freely used but will not freeze in the support of the freezing unit of the refrigerator.

Another object of the invention is to provide a support for an ice tray which may be an integral part of the freezing unit or a separate member applied thereto.

A further object of the invention is to providel an antifreezing support for ice trays whereby depressions or openings are provided for the reception of salt, a mixture of salt and cornstarch, or other antifreezing mixture or compound.

In the accompanying drawing- Fig.. 1 shows a sectional view through part of the freezing unit of a mechanical refrigerator and illustrates an embodiment of the invention applied thereto i Fig. 2 is a plan view of the antifreezing support illustrated in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view through Fig'. 2 approximately on the line 3 3;

Fig.4 isa view similar to Fig. 1 but showing a modified form of the invention. In mechanical refrigerators a freezing unit is provided at some part, usually in one corner, and

this freezing unit includesa plurality of shelves or supports in which trays are adapted to be in.- serted. The usual trays consist of a metal container with either integral or removable partition members. Asis well known, these trays become wet to a certain extent and quite often freeze in 'the unit so that they are verydiftlcult to remove.

To obviate this difficulty and yet, allow the use of the usual metal trays now on the market, an improved antifreezing support has been provided 40 whichmay beformed asan integral part of the shelves of the freezing unit, or as a separate member applied thereto.v l

As shown in the accompanying drawing, I indicates the freezing unit, which is provided with supports or shelves 2 so as to supportl the conventional vtrays 3. As is well known, the compartments of each tray are-lled with water and then theI trays are slid on to the supports 2 and left. in this positiony until the water becomes frozen. Quite often the trays are left many daysy without removal, but sometime'sthey are removed quite often. If the trays 'should freeze fast to the` shelvesor supports 2, considerable diiculty is experienced in removing the same and sometimes it is even necessary to defrost the refrigerator before the trays can be removed.l In attempting to remove frozen trays the front of the trays is sometimes mutilated and even broken.

The present invention presents means whereby the trays may befreely used in the desired man- 5 ner and yet may be slid into and out of position at any time. As illustrated in Figs. 1 to 3 inclusive there is provided an antifreezing support 4, which is slid into position on top of the shelf or support 2 and then the tray 3 is slid `on top of the'anti- 10 1freezing support 4. The support 4 is' especially p prepared so that it will not freeze to the tray 3 leven though the bottom of the tray 3 should be wet.

In forming the support 4, a plate 5 of sheet 15 metal, as for instance iron, is 'provided and the ends bent up and then turned over as indicated at 6, and the insert 1 clamped in place.A -This insert may be zinc, aluminum, or other metal,"A and is formed with a number of large"v apertures 8 and a still largernumber of apertures 9 of smaller diameter. Any desired number of apertures may be providedand arranged in any preferred order. In these apertures there-is placed an antifreezing substance I0. This substance 25 may be any desired material that will accomplish the result to be accomplished, as for instance plain salt ora mixture of salt and cornstarch. Preferably the apertures are completely filled and the material caused to project a slight 30 distance beyond the top of the plate l,y as shown in Fig. 3. If desired, the turned-over edge 6 could be merely an upstanding iiange so that the insert 'l could be readily removed, though this is not essential. After the insert l has been provided With the antifreezing material, the support 4 is then slid into position, as shown in Fig. 1. With one filling the support will usually prevent freezing or sticking ofthe tray/3 for several months. At the end of this'time or at some other time, the insert could be removed and the material in the various apertures or depressions 8 and 9 removed and new material supplied. If desired, instead of having two mem-v bers as described, one. member could be provided of metal o r other material and. formed with depressions for receiving the antifreezing material. v l

As shown in Fig. 4, aA modified form of the invention may be used. In this .form the shelf .50 or support 2 is provided with a number of depressions- Il, which are filled with material I2, which material may be salt,cornstarch, a mixture of these materials, or other substance. Preferably the depressions Il' are made close to- N gether so that the small metal portions I3' which contact with the bottom I4 of the tray 3 will not' f prevent easy removal of the tray even though these small portions should freeze vto the tray. Ordinarily this will not occur as the material I 2 will ,prevent such action.

I'claim: I

1. An antifreezing support for an ice tray of refrigerators including a' supporting base mem# ber, an insert arranged on the base member, the base member having the sides and ends bent over for clamping said insert, said insert being formed with a plurality of openings extending entirely therethrough, and an antiireezing material lling said openings.

2. An antifreezing support for an ice tray ot, mechanical refrigerators comprising a support for the tray formed with a plurality of comparatively large openings extending entirely therethrough and a plurality of Vsmaller openings extending therethrough, and an antiireesing material arranged in each o1' said openings.

3. An antifreezing support for an ice tray of refrigerators comprising a supporting member, an insert carried by said member formed with a plurality of comparatively large openings extending entirely therethrough and a plurality of smaller openings extending therethrough, and a filling for each of said openings o! salt and cornstarch, said illling acting to prevent freezing of the tray `resting on said insert. l

4. An antitreezing support for ice trays oi.' refrigerators 'comprising a base member, an insert arranged on the base member, the base member having the sides and ends bent over for clamping said insert, said insert .beingvi'ormed with a plurality of openings extending entirely therethrough, and a mixture of saltand cornstarch lling each of said openings.

OTIO BECKER. 

